Pay Back
by Gail Cregg
Summary: A broken boat,a smear campaign, mysterious letters and even a broken Abby. Someone wants to pay back Gibbs and will do anything to do so.
1. Chapter 1

_Pay back; punish, be revenged on.  
_The New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary.

It was getting close to one-thirty in the morning as NCIS Special Agent Gibbs pulled into his driveway. After the frantic activity of the past week with many late nights and eating only snatched bites of takeaway whilst discussing the case he should've been exhausted. Instead as climbed his front steps he felt exhilarated; still affected by the adrenalin rush of the successful conclusion to the case and the arrest of the perpetrator several hours earlier.

A petty officer had got into an altercation in a bar trying to defend a female colleague from a man who was harassing her. The civilian had followed the petty officer into an alley as he was leaving and in a drug fuelled rage stabbed him. Luckily the petty officer was found within minutes and the doctors had been able to save his life. There had been enough witnesses and forensic evidence at the scene for them to confidently identify the suspect. Gibbs' team had later located him in an apartment in Georgetown and he was arrested without a shot being fired. Uncomplicated but a good result nonetheless Gibbs thinks as he heads for his basement intending on having a drink and working on his boat.

He switches on the light and stares in disbelief at the scene below. Paint tins, cleaning solution and bourbon have been opened and splashed across the floor. Tools have been pulled apart and the pieces scattered everywhere. His boat, his 'Kelly' has been dismantled and the wood sawn into bits of varying shapes and sizes. Gibbs goes to his kitchen and pours himself a glass of bourbon which he sips while he thinks. He then retrieves some evidence bags from his car, pulls on some gloves and returns to the basement. He bags some items then begins to clean up the mess. Eventually exhaustion overcomes him and he falls asleep on a paint stained drop cloth.


	2. Chapter 2

NCIS - The next day.

Abby's Lab.

Gibbs places the evidence bags on Abby's table. "Hey, where's my Caf-Pow?"  
"Abs!"  
"O.K. What case are these from?"  
"No case. I just want them checked for fingerprints. Can you do it?"  
"Of course. I've done all I can on the other team's cases for now. I'd be honored, thrilled, delighted" Abby turns from her machines and realises Gibbs has left "to help you".

Squad Room.

As Gibbs enters the bullpen DiNozzo calls out "Boss the Director wants to see you." Gibbs heads up the stairs to the Director's office.  
"I wonder what that's about?" queries Tony welcoming the distraction from the paperwork he's been fighting with most of the morning.  
"If we need to know we'll find out soon enough." responds Ziva calmly.  
"Probie, what do you think it might be?"  
McGee doesn't reply staring at the piece of paper in his hand.  
"Probie! I asked you a question." McGee still does not reply and Tony exchanges a glance with Ziva across the squad room.  
"Ouch. What was that for Tony?" McGee rubs the back of his head.  
"For not answering when asked a question by your Senior Field Agent. What is so interesting anyway? Your latest sales figures?"  
"No, it's this letter I received."  
"Oh, more crazy fan mail for the famous Mr Gemcity?" Tony exchanges a smile with Ziva.  
"No. It's"  
"A death threat?" interupts Ziva suddenly looking more interested.  
"I don't know quite what it is."  
"Read it out then" order his colleagues simultaneously.  
"Ah, mmmm"  
"Probie!"

"Alright. It says _She never loved you. You could never make her happy. Women have needs and you were just a convenient, warm male body. You helped her scratch that itch but you could never satisfy her. It's not you she wants. It's not your face she wants to stroke and not your eyes she wants to gaze into night after night across crumpled sheets. It's not your hair she desires to run her hands through over and over again. It's not your body she yearns to touch every part of with those succulent, silky lips. It's not you she wants touching her. Not your hands, lips, tongue she wishes to know the very essence of her. It's not you she wants deep inside her. Filling her and making her whole. It's not you whose name she longs to scream with pleasure and moan in pain. It was never you Timmy."_

McGee looks up to see Tony with his mouth open and Ziva smiling at him in her worldly wise way. "What kind of a nutcase have you got yourself involved with Probie?"  
"I'm not seeing anyone at the moment Tony."  
"What about that chick in legal?"  
"We broke up three weeks ago and she'd split from her boyfriend four months before we even got together. I have no idea who this could be from." Tim says looking worried.  
"There's no easy way to trace who sent it. You could get Abby to process it for prints I guess but that's costly and as we can't definitively tie it to a case...." Tony thinks aloud.

"Whoever wrote this is clearly a cockatoo McGee. This guy appears to be taking satisfaction in your failure to be the one this woman wants to be with, not threatening you as such. I'd just be extra vigilant of your personal security and not worry unless you receive a more specific threat. " Ziva suggests.  
"A cockatoo?" question Tim and Tony looking puzzled.  
"A cockatoo, is a crazy person yes?"  
"Cuckoo Ziva. You mean the person is a little cuckoo."  
"They are both birds right?"  
"Yes"  
"Then why is it a cuckoo and not a cockatoo?"  
"Because" Tony realises he doesn't actually know why "Good question."  
The three agents return to their work. McGee deciding to take Ziva's advice._  
_


	3. Chapter 3

Meanwhile in the Director's office.

"You wanted me to see me Jen?" Jenny hangs up her phone.  
"Yes, Jethro take a seat."  
"I don't intend to stay that long."  
"Oh enough with the stupid power play Gibbs. Sit."  
"Yes, Madam Director."  
"I wanted to give you a heads up. I just took a call from our media liaison. Tomorrow the Washington Post is publishing an article on the expense of and screw ups by federal agencies."  
"And you're telling me this because Jenny?"  
"They mention NCIS. In particular the Paulson case."  
"And again you're telling me this why Director?"  
"Well it wasn't your finest hour Special Agent Gibbs."  
"Heh we got the right guy in the end."  
"After having the wrong one incarcerated for six years Jethro."  
"So no-one's perfect. I don't measure my self worth by what the Washington Post thinks of me. I'll be fine Jen."  
"I'm worried too how they got their information."  
"Are you suggesting someone on my team is providing information to the paper Jen." Gibbs glares angrily at Director Shepard.  
"Of course not. I'm just wondering how they got the information."  
"Well I don't know. Now I've got real work to do if you'll excuse me Director."  
"Jethro." Gibbs leaves her office. Jenny sighs and returns to her paperwork.


	4. Chapter 4

NCIS - A few days later.

Life had been fairly quiet around NCIS headquarters. No new cases had come in. McGee was working on a program to improve the speed of their database searches with Abby's help. He had almost forgotten about the mysterious letter. Abby had reported that she was unable to obtain any fingerprints off the items from Gibbs' basement. He'd told the team what had happened since Abby insisted he do so but in the absence of evidence pointing to a suspect they had been forced to let the matter drop.

Conversation about the Post article had died down too. NCIS had only received one mention and much amusement had been had by the agents reading about the mistakes of the CIA and their old friends at the FBI. Tony wasn't laughing anymore after teasing Agent Sacks at the bar one night. Sacks had reminded him that at least the FBI had their own jet and people to gas their cars.

Tony and Ziva had been catching up on paperwork and reviewing cold cases though Tony had somehow found the time to set a new high score on his shoot Bin Laden computer game. Surprisingly it is Ziva who is getting the most frustrated with the forced inaction. She had no problem calmly defusing a bomb or fearlessly taking on an armed assailant but present her with a grieving widow or a traumatised victim and, she ruefully thought to herself, she was not at her best. Still she had learned a lot from Gibbs and even though she would never admit it from Tony too. Ziva picked up the next file.

The Director's Office.

Gibbs walks into Jenny's office where she has some photos spread over the conference table.  
"What's all this Jen?" "Take a look Jethro."  
Gibbs examines them one by one. They are a series of shots stamped with the same date and the time around 2:00 am. The photos show his car (clearly identifiable by the licence plate), him escorting a woman to the door of an apartment building, kissing her and receiving a hug in return. From a shot taken as she turns to wave goodbye it is obvious the woman is Abby. "There was a letter too." Jen hands it to Gibbs.

_The Post let you off lightly Madam Director. Do you think they'd be interested in these? Exactly what is the nature of the relationship between senior NCIS Special Agent Gibbs and his oh so much junior and ever so much younger colleague....? How can that not be a coerced relationship? Sex sells Director. More to come._

Gibbs grins.  
"This is _not_ funny Jethro! Someone with a grudge is out to hurt you and doesn't mind who else gets damaged in the process. As Director my first"  
"Stop Jen. The newspapers won't publish without some type of proof and as Abby and I are not sexually involved they won't find any. When they call here for a comment you can shut them down. That's why we have Agent Lee and all those lawyer types right?"  
"Right as usual Jethro. Mind you some facts might help. Do you remember the date on these?"  
Gibbs thinks a moment. "I know. It was when that journal thingy came out. The Journal of Forensic Sciences or something like that. Abby had her paper on the Optical Digital Enhancement of Reflective Surfaces with Scattered Refractive Properties published in it. We all went out to celebrate and Abby had too much to drink so I made sure she got safely home. She doesn't need to know about this Jenny. She'd be devastated to learn someone was attempting to use her actions to discredit me."  
"No, there's nothing to be gained by telling her. I'll get it shut down. I just thought you were entitled to know."  
"Thanks, Jen."  
"You're quite welcome Jethro." Gibbs leaves and Jenny gathers up the photos. She can't help but smile when she comes to the one of Gibbs kissing Abby on the cheek.


	5. Chapter 5

NCIS - The next day.

Ziva is reading her mail.

_How does it feel Officer David to be working with the man who killed your brother? Being around him day in, day out and taking orders from him. How does that make you feel? Why did he have to kill him anyway? Surely he could have arrested him? What are the courts for? Who anointed Gibbs judge, jury and executioner? You are a Judas Officer David. Gibbs may have pulled the trigger but you betrayed Ari. His blood is on your hands._

How ridiculous she thinks. Who sent this? I know what Gibbs did and why he did it.  
"Ziva?"  
I need to tell Gibbs about this.  
"ZIVA?"  
"Yes, Tony."  
"We need to head out to do that interview now."  
"O.K."  
"Are you alright? You seem a little preoccupied."  
"I'm just plummy Tony" she responds picking up her gear.  
"Peachy. It's.." oh why bother DiNozzo thinks as they head to the elevator. He doesn't believe her denial but is willing to let it rest; for now.

Later that day when they are alone Ziva shows the letter to Gibbs. "I think someone may be coming after you Boss."  
"With a piece of paper Ziva? I faced worse in Kuwait."  
They both smile.

* * *

Author's Note - I do know it was really Ziva that killed Ari not Gibbs but remember he took the blame to protect her from her father. I don't know if this secret has been exposed post Season Four.


	6. Chapter 6

NCIS - The next day. Abby's Birthday.

It is raining hard but as she drives into the car park Abby is smiling because today is her birthday and if she can't be with her family she does get to spend the day with people she loves; her NCIS family. Only Ducky would be missing as he was at a medical examiner's conference in Seattle and not back in the office until tomorrow. Gibbs had taken her out for dinner the previous evening but as per their tradition would give her a present today.

As she hangs up her coat and hat and begins turning on her machines to start the day she notices through the glass door a huge vase of black roses on her desk. Those must be from Ducky she thinks. It would be just like him to arrange with Jimmy for the flowers to be there when he wasn't. With a broad grin Abby enters her office and leaning over the vase inhales deeply. Her eyes blur as she staggers against the desk losing consciousness and slipping to the floor.

At that moment Gibbs arrives in the doorway. "Abs!" He drops the present and the Caf-Pow he is holding and rushes into her office. Realising she is not breathing he hits the auto dial on her phone for Autopsy. "Palm..." "Get an ambulance here STAT then come to the lab." Without waiting to hear a reply he commences CPR between breaths and compressions gasping "Stay with me Abs. Stay with me. Damn it I won't lose you too."

As Abby begins to breathe shallowly Palmer arrives. "The ambulance is pulling into the autopsy bay." "There's no time." Palmer follows him as Gibbs bundles Abby in his arms, carries her down to the ambulance and places her on the stretcher inside. The paramedics check her over. "Will she live?" "I don't know. We need to get her to the hospital right now." The ambulance screeches out of the bay leaving Gibbs and Jimmy in a sudden disquieting silence.

"Palmer get back to the lab. Call Security. I don't want anyone entering until it is cleared by the bio-hazard people and my team arrives." Jimmy leaves. Gibbs calls Ducky. He enters the elevator trying to find the words to tell the team the news and trying to figure out what the hell was going on.


	7. Chapter 7

**Warning: This chapter contains content that might offend some readers.**

* * *

Whilst Gibbs is attending to Abby upstairs in the squad room Tony is reading the following letter.

_You will never be Gibbs so why don't you stop trying? He is not your father and you will never take the place of who is missing in his heart. Gibbs wants his family; his wife and daughter not a surrogate son. In fact he has already found a replacement though I'm not sure which one for. She's young enough to be his daughter but have you noticed how he looks at her? How he undresses her with his eyes every time they are in a room together? You haven't? And you call yourself a Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo! Haven't you wondered why she wears those short skirts? Why she keeps a futon in her office? I'll tell you Tony. Your precious Boss. Your idol. Your father figure. Your Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs is screwing Miss Abigail Sciuto and it has been going on for years. Did you not wonder why he stayed late all those nights? Never notice as you left her car still in the lot? He doesn't need you Tony and never will. Maybe it's time to move on.  
__  
_Horrified Tony looks up from the letter but Tim and Ziva are engrossed in their work and he doesn't know where Gibbs is. No! Not Gibbs. Not Gibbs and Abby it just wasn't possible. Surely he would've noticed something. Think DiNozzo think he chastises himself mentally. The letter writer had offered no evidence, no proof just supposition based on what appeared to be some inside knowledge of Gibbs personal life and Abby's habits. But why send the letter to me? To stir up trouble for Gibbs of course; like smashing up his boat and tipping off the press about the Paulson case and maybe there's other stuff too that Gibbs hadn't told them. Perhaps McGee's letter from the other day ties into this too DiNozzo ponders wishing he hadn't been so quick to agree with Ziva's dismissal of it. In his gut he knew there was nothing but friendship between Gibbs and Abby so clearly someone was trying to destablize the team. He wouldn't show the letter to Tim and Ziva but needed to find the Boss immediately.

As Tony rises from his desk Gibbs exits the elevator and crosses the squad room.  
"Listen up. Abby's been taken to hospital. I found her in the lab not breathing. The paramedics weren't sure"  
"Boss?" query his three distressed special agents.  
"They are not sure if she'll live. Ducky landed half an hour ago and is on his way to the hospital. I think someone deliberately tried to hurt her. Tony and Ziva get down to the lab, talk to the bio-hazard people and see if you can find out what happened. Get Palmer standing by to take anything you find to the National Forensic Laboratory. McGee pull the surveillance footage covering all entrances for the last twenty-four hours. I want an id on and a reason for everyone entering the building. I need to inform the Director and call her mother." Ziva, Tony and McGee stare at him.  
"Go, go, go!" Ziva and McGee leave but Tony stays behind.  
"What is it DiNozzo?"  
"After you make those calls there's something you need to see."  
Gibbs nods and picks up his phone. "Cynthia I need to speak to the Director right now."


	8. Chapter 8

After Gibbs makes his calls Tony shows him the letter and tells him about the one McGee received. "It was gloating not threatening which is why we dismissed it..." Tony trails off as he realises Gibbs is staring at him. Gibbs tells him about the letter Ziva got and the photos that were sent to Jenny.  
"It looks like someone hurt Abby to get back at you Boss".  
"You think DiNozzo!" Gibbs says sounding more like himself than he has done for the previous half hour. "God Tony if we lose Abby because of something I've done..."  
"We won't. Our goth goddess is tough. She's a fighter. She'll be" Gibbs phone rings.  
"Gibbs". "Yes Ducky." He listens. "Got it. When will" He listens. "Is the guard detail I ordered there?" He listens. "Stay with her. Thanks Duck."  
As Gibbs hangs up the phone Ziva and McGee enter the squad room. "Boss?" "Ducky says she is going to be fine. Apparently she somehow inhaled a nearly fatal combination of some industrial grade cleaning solutions."  
"I think I know how Boss. The bio hazard team found a vase of roses on her desk that have been sprinkled with some type of black powder. A container of the substance was hidden a the centre of the bunch too. The odour of the roses would've helped mask the smell."  
"Boss you know it's Abby's birthday. She must have thought they came from one of us and"  
"McGee!" "Yes, Boss." "The surveillance footage?" "Oh right Boss. Ziva told me about the flowers so I quickly scanned the footage and was able to locate the delivery man dropping them at the main gate. He was wearing the uniform of Annette's Flowers."  
"Anyone can fake a uniform Probie."  
"He talks to the marine on the gate for a couple of minutes before he leaves." "Show me the footage." McGee brings it up on the plasma.  
"Hey, I think I recognize him." "From where DiNozzo?" "I don't know Boss. I know so many people it could be" Gibbs headslaps him. "Thinking where Boss."  
McGee runs the clip again. "That conversation was closer to ten minutes than two McGee."  
"I wonder why" muses Gibbs. "DiNozzo" "See if I can speak to whoever had the duty last night. On it Boss." The team wait impatiently while he makes his calls."Thought I knew him Boss. His name his Craig Thomas. He and the marine knew each other from when Thomas worked security here."  
"Until I got him fired for sleeping instead of monitoring the cameras on the night shift! McGee get " "A current address. Right Boss" he turns to his computer.  
"Get this. The marine also said Thomas is working part time at a mental health clinic. Guess they are not to particular who guards the fruitcakes." "Got an address Boss." 'Bring him in."


	9. Chapter 9

NCIS Interrogation Room.

After leaving him sitting there for twenty minutes Gibbs enters the room and sits across the table from Craig Thomas.

"I wish I could say it's a pleasure to see you again Agent Gibbs but it's not." Gibbs does not respond. "You shouldn't leave your doors open Gibbs you never know who might wander in." Gibbs stares at him. "At the most all you've got me for is malicious damage and I doubt you've even got that. If I were involved I'd have worn gloves and you know reporters never reveal their sources." Gibbs grins.  
"You think this is about a boat?" Thomas looks puzzled. "It's not?"  
"What about the letters?" "Don't know what you are talking about" Thomas replies looking down and to the left.  
"We'll leave that for a moment. I know you Craig. You're not smart enough to do this on your own. Smashing up my boat and tipping off the press sure but these letters? That's way too subtle for you. Who is your accomplice?" Thomas smiles. Gibbs walks to the other side of the table leaning over him.  
"I know what your problem is with me but what on earth have you got against Abby?"  
"Ab...Ab..Abby? No problem. I like Abby."  
Gibbs lifts him from his chair and slams him against the wall.  
"She's lying in a hospital bed fighting for her life because of you!"  
"No! He wanted to give her the flowers for her birthday. He wouldn't hurt Abby. He"  
"Who?"  
"We met at the clinic. He recognized me. He loves her." Gibbs pushes him into the wall.  
"Who!" "Mikel Mawher." Gibbs shoves him aside and storms into the corridor. There he meets Tony, Ziva and Tim. "Let's go get that bastard."


	10. Chapter 10

Outside Abby's hospital room.

"Are you positive she is going to be OK Duck?"  
"Yes, Jethro. The threat has passed. Keeping her under observation is purely a precautionary measure at this stage. I think your news will help ease her mind. The two men stare through the glass at the sleeping form of Abby. "Go on Jethro. I know she's keen to see you." Ducky pats Gibbs on the arm and walks away. Gibbs enters the room and places Bert by her pillow causing Abby to wake.

"Gibbs?" she asks groggily. "Ducky says you are going to be fine. Your mother and brother are on their way and the team will be in to visit tomorrow."  
"Wh...What...hap...happened?"  
"I'm not"  
"Tell..me..Gibbs" she orders her voice gaining strength with every word.  
"A security gard who blamed me for his firing from NCIS destroyed my boat and tipped off the press about the Paulson case. At the mental health clinic where he worked he met a patient with an equally strong grudge against me. This patient helped him and also sent letters to McGee, the Director, Ziva and DiNozzo in an attempt to discredit me and destabilize the team."  
"But why would a patient with a grudge against you want to posion me? Unless it's because we're friends and hurting me hurts you. I don't understand Gibbs?"  
She looks so vulnerable and un-Abby he almost loses the nerve to tell her but Ducky had told him that knowing was better for her than imagining and it would help her recovery.  
"The patients name was Mikel Mawher. He's been in and out of treatment and on and off various medications for years. He had been planning his pay back ever since I showed him you didn't love him. At first I thought it was just that but then Ducky reviewed the letters he sent. He believes Mikel had convinced himself that you and I were in a relationship and that was the only thing preventing him from being with you. He wanted me out of the way and when that didn't work he must've thought if he couldn't have you no-one could."  
Abby shudders and grabs his hand. "Gibbs!"  
"He will _never_ hurt you agin Abs." Looking into her eyes he is unsure if she has caught his meaning. As he opens his mouth to explain she responds.  
"He's dead?" "Yes." "How?"  
"It was suicide by cop Abby. He was waving a gun around and threatening the agents at the scene. They had to shoot him."  
Even slightly dopey from being drugged Abby knows him well enough not to let it go at that. She thinks for a moment. "There's more isn't there? The agent who killed him; it was you right?"  
"Yes."  
There's a long but not uncomfortable silence.  
"Will you stay with me until I fall asleep?"  
"Of course." Gibbs gently kisses her on the forehead and settles himself in the chair beside the bed. "Hush now. You must rest."  
"Yes sir, Dr Gibbs."  
The next morning when the team arrive Gibbs is asleep in the chair still holding Abby's hand.


End file.
